This meeting was originally scheduled for February 9th and was canceled due to snow.

Agenda

Call to Order

Roll Call

Approval of Meeting Minutes of December 8, 2014 and January 12, 2015

New Business

1. DRC Application No. 15.03: 32 Custom House Street (Real Estate Title Insurance Co. Building) Proposal by HM Ventures 7, LLC to conduct exterior alterations, as part of the renovation and conversion of the building into residential with ground floor commercial.

Other Business

The applicant wants to not be required to build ground floor retail into the proposed garage.

3. Reconsideration of a Decision on DRC Application No. 14.27: 10 Dorrance Street (Howard Building) The applicant requests the DRC reconsider its decision on the application. The applicant is proposing to install new wall signage for ‘VP Fitness’ on the Dorrance Street elevation of the building.

Agenda

Call to Order

Roll Call

Approval of Meeting Minutes of December 8, 2014 and January 12, 2015

New Business

1. DRC Application No. 15.03: 32 Custom House Street (Real Estate Title Insurance Co. Building) – Proposal by HM Ventures 7, LLC to conduct exterior alterations, as part of the renovation and conversion of the building into residential with ground floor commercial.

Other Business

This is the parking garage for the South Street Landing project. My understanding is they are seeking to build the garage without the required ground floor retail component.

2. Reconsideration of a Decision on DRC Application No. 14.27: 10 Dorrance Street (Howard Building) – The applicant requests the DRC reconsider its decision on the application. The applicant is proposing to install new wall signage for ‘VP Fitness’ on the Dorrance Street elevation of the building.

Opening Session

Call to Order

Roll Call

Approval of Meeting Minutes of December 12, 2014

Annual Election of Vice Chair

New Business

1. DRC Application No. 14.25: 342 Eddy Street (Public Hearing) – The subject of the hearing will be an application by CV SSL Garage, LLC requesting waivers from D-1 Design Regulations for non-conforming new construction. The applicant is proposing to construct a new parking garage at 342 Eddy Street, Providence, RI. The applicant is seeking waivers from the requirements for transparency and multiple entrances at the ground floor level on the Eddy Street elevation, and for the recess line requirement for buildings over 6 stories.

2. DRC Application No. 14.26: 11-15 Point Street (Public Hearing) – The subject of the hearing will be an application by CV SSL River House, LLC requesting a waiver from D-1 Design Regulations for non-conforming new construction. The applicant is proposing to construct a new mixed-use residential development at 11-15 Point Street, Providence, RI. The applicant is seeking a waiver from the recess line requirement for buildings over 6 stories.

Bristol-based Roger Williams University is planning to renovate and lease One Empire Plaza, more than doubling its presence downtown for adult learners when it opens in May of 2016.

The new location will provide expanded space for RWU’s School of Law, School of Continuing Studies and growing array of outreach and engagement programs, including the Latino Policy Institute, HousingWorks RI and the Community Partnerships Center.

Opening Session

Call to Order

Roll Call

Approval of minutes from November18, 2014 meeting – for action

Approval of 2015 CPC meeting schedule – for action

Director’s Report

Major Subdivision – Public Informational Meeting

1. Case No. 14-031 MA – 440-460 Rochambeau Ave – The applicant is requesting to subdivide two lots at 440 and 460 Rochambeau Ave. measuring approximately 33,453 SF and 114,873 SF respectively, into 12 lots. Each proposed lot would measure more than 6,000 SF. The item was continued at the November 16 meeting. – for action (AP 93 Lots 14 and 339, Blackstone)

Lots of information to digest in this new ordinance, some highlights as we see it; no parking minimums downtown, parking maximums in designated transit oriented development areas, special provisions for neighborhood commercial in residential areas, changes on Broadway to the Residential-Professional zone to allow more neighborhood commercial by right.

Mayor Taveras Announces Return of Free Holiday Parking

City offers two hours of free parking for shoppers beginning November 28th

PROVIDENCE – To accommodate holiday shoppers and support local businesses during the busy holiday sales season, Mayor Taveras announced today that there will be two hours of free parking in designated commercial districts throughout Providence.

Shoppers will be offered two hours of free parking from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. beginning Friday, November 28, 2014 through Thursday, January 1, 2015 in the following commercial districts:

The holiday parking program is designed to make it easier for shoppers to patronize local businesses. The two-hour parking limit will be strictly enforced by parking enforcement officers. Cars parked illegally in prohibited areas, including crosswalks and tow zones, will be ticketed during this period.

The Providence Rink Opens Saturday, November 15th for the 2014-2015 Season

The Providence Rink will be open for ice skating season starting on Saturday, November 15th at 10:00am. Regular hours of operation during the week are Monday through Friday, 10am until 10pm and new hours for Saturdays and Sundays are 10am until 10pm. The Rink is open on all winter holidays.

General admission is $7 for adults, $4 for seniors, $4 for children (12 and under), and $4 for military. Skate rentals are $5 and skate sharpening is $7. Season passes are available and priced as $90 for an adult, $200 family of four, $50 children and seniors. Special rates are available for birthday parties, school groups, business and social groups, and for full ice rental for private events. Visit www.providencerink.com for details and to make your reservations.

Today’s Providence Business News reports on the divergent visions of the Providence Mayoral Candidates for the Providence Waterfront.

As with many issues, Elorza wants to continue the Taveras position on Allens Avenue, which is to reserve the land there, through zoning restrictions, for industrial use only. Supported by the City Council under President Michael Solomon and existing Allens Avenue landowners, that position was a change from Cianci’s late 1990s plans and those of his successor, David N. Cicilline.

Elorza does want to increase exports from the working waterfront, through market studies and trade missions, activities normally handled by state economic-development officials.

Not to be overlooked, the people who currently own the land along the Allens Avenue waterfront support this direction.

Vision for Greater Kennedy Plaza: Walkabout and Panel Discussion

Providence, Rhode Island
Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Please join CNU New England for a walkabout in Providence’s Kennedy Plaza and panel discussion at Aurora to review the progress, programming, and next steps for the Vision for Greater Kennedy Plaza. Through a public-private partnership between the Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy and the City of Providence, this project seeks to create a pedestrian-friendly environment, encourage transit ridership, bolster economic well-being, promote arts and culture, and encourage tourism. The first steps toward implementation of the long-term vision are under construction, so please come join us to discuss what’s next. “Ideas for admission” are encouraged at the door – provide your walkabout observations and thoughts regarding next steps toward implementation of the vision.

September 19, 2014 8:00am – 4:00pm

Come out and join us for the second annual PARK(ing) Day Providence!

This year, PARK(ing) Day Providence will have 32 parklets in Downtown, the West Side, and the East Side and a protected bike lane on Broadway. We can’t express our thanks enough to the Downtown Improvement District, the West Broadway Neighborhood Association, the Department of Public Works, the City of Providence, and all of our amazing sponsors.

Opening Session

Call to Order

Roll Call

Approval of Meeting Minutes of July 14, 2014

New Business

1. DRC Application No. 14.16: 1 Chestnut Street (Beneficent House) – Public Hearing Proposal by Beneficent House to replace existing exterior signage on site with a new, consistent signage system. The applicant also requests a waiver from D-1 Regulations prohibiting freestanding signs. The proposal includes the installation of two new freestanding signs, one of which is replacing an existing freestanding sign.

Word on the street is this abandonment is being requested to build a parking garage on the combined lots. Per updated zoning, the garage would require retail frontage on Weybosset Street.

The petition to the City Council was signed by William J. Piccerelli for Weybosset Orange LLC and Joseph R. Paolino, Jr. for 93 Weybosset, LLC.

I do not know if the City Council passed this, if they did, it would then go to the City Plan Commission for review and approval.

The portion of Orange Street sought to be abandoned is flanked by two surface parking lots and runs from Weybosset to Middle Street, the section between the buildings out to Westminster is not part of the abandonment.